Garter spring



GARTER SPRING Original Filed Feb. 9, 1945 151g la INVENTOR A2527?? /W C///WE/ JA.

ATTORNEY` Patentd July 18, 195o GARTER SPRING o n Albert M. Chambers, Jr., Pittsford, N. Y., assignor i to The Garlock Packing Company, Palmyra,

N.-Y., a corporation of NewYork A.Original application February 9, 1345, Serial No.

577,113, now Patent No. 2,434,484, dated Jan- `uary 13, 1948.

Divided and this application March 29, 1945, serial N9. 585,535 zolaims. (o1. 2er- 1) This invention relates `to improvements `in gaiter springs, more' particularly those which are f smallf'sectional diameter' relativelyv to their circumferential length. This application is adivision 'of my co-pending application, Serial No; 577,113',- filed February 9, 1945, now Patent Number 2,434,484, issued' Januaryr 13, 1948.

The principal object of this invention is to provide garter springs', ofsubstantial circumferential, length, which, despite being of relatively smallsectional diameter and employing spring wresuitable for 'such' small diametenmay neverthelessQwithin usual limits of extension land compression, be capable of applying a substantial contractile or expansion force upon a flexible annular element to urge the latter inwardly or outwardly. Q A, 'H f Ancther object isl to" provide such garter springsjof the expansion type, having inherent characteristics 'obvi'atng or minimizing any tendency in the'f'garter spring, to become deformed ordistorted, 4when the `spring is compressed into a flexible annular element' to be expanded.

NUOther objects andfadvantages ofthe invention may be observed "frmrthe following speciiication and the accompanying drawing.

Garter springs ordinarily are formed by taking alen'gth'of coil spring and connecting its ends together to form a circle. "Such springs of the tension type may be stretched over Va flexible circular element to contract it or, in the compression type may be e placed within such an `element to expandir. Y j

`Where garter'springsare of fairly substantial' sectional diameter relatively to their circumferential length, little difficulty is encountered in making the spring of such gauge and other characteristics of spring wire andforming it in coils of such diameteras to yield the particular tension characteristics for which it is designed.

However, where a mechanical structure requires' a garter springof relatively small sectional diameter as compared to its circumferential length, considerable difiiculty is encountered. Forexample, if such `aV garter kspring were to have coils as small as about ft,- inch orL 1A, inch in diameter,`

andY if the circumferential length were to be Very substantial, say, upwards of `90 inches in length, it is well understood that, as the selection of spring wirewhichcould be used in a spring of such small diameter would be quite limited, it would be difficult; indeed, to provide such a spring, of continuous coils throughout its entire circumferential length, which would `have the properr characteristics to yield thedesired contractile or expansive force.

A further problem isencountered in connection with garter springs of the compression or` to become deformed to a waved or snake-like shape, unless special means are provided to overcome that difficulty. v

These problems may be better -understood by reference to my mentioned co-pending application which discloses oil seal structures wherein this invention may be advantageously employed. According to those disclosures, garter springs are provided in oil seals for use in connection with shafts of very substantial diameter. In several embodiments, disclosed in that application, contractile garter springs are employed to contract a sealing lip upon a shaft, and, in another embodiment therein, an expansion garter spring is employed to expand a sealing lip into engagement with the housing into which the shaftextends. The requirements of those structures are such that the oil seals therein occupy spaces of approximately one inch between the shaft and the housing into which the shaft extends. Hence,

theoil seal, radially, is only about one inch in cross sectional width, but it is upwards of 90 inches in circumferential length; and the garter springs used in such oil seals, to hold the sealing lip of the oil seal into `contact with either the shaft or the housingy must necessarily have a sectional diameter of only about inch or 1A;

inch and a circumferential length of upward ofV several extensible portions may be so reduced; that spring wire, of the characteristics suitable for coil springs of such small sectional diameter,

may be used, while limiting the extension characteristics of the garter spring so that it may have the capacity to establish the contractile or expansive forces which it is, intended to exert upon a flexible element with which it is associated.

Although the present invention may be prac-` tised in various ways, nevertheless, the illustrative embodiments, shown in the accompanying v drawings, should serve to give an understanding expansible type;-in-t;hat'such springs, if of con-" tinuous coils forming a circle, have a tendency of the invention. In the drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevational view,` illustrating a contractile spring according to the Vpresent invention. Y

Fig. 1a is a fragmentary View, illustrating one of various ways in which the extensible and nonextensibleportions of the spring of Fig. 1 may be interconnected. f

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, illustrating an expansible spring according to the present invention.

Fig. 2a. is a fragmentary view, illustrating one of various ways in which the extensible and nonextensible portions of the spring of Fig. 2 structure may be rigidly interconnected.

Referring to Fig. 1, the contractile garter spring comprises three extensible tension spring portions although a greater or lesser number of such sections may be employed. The extensible portions are interconnected with non-extensible portions I2, the connecting means as best seen in Fig. 1a comprising, at the end of section I, a hook or loop I3. through which passes a hook or loop-I4, formed on the end of the nonextensible section I2.

It may readily-be understood that, if the garter spring illustrated in Fig. l had no non-extensible sections |2, but comprised, instead, an endless circular coil spring of the same sectional diameter as the coils shown in the drawing and of the same circumferential length, the total stretching capacity of the spring would be materially increased, with the result that the stretch given to the spring to dispose it about a circular portion to be urged radially inwardly, usually and preferably a rather moderate stretch, ordinarily would not establish suicient contractile force for the desired purpose. It will readily be perceived, also that one would have very little latitude in the selection of spring wire of various gauges in order to obtain a desired substantial contractile force.

The problem is very elfectively solved by providing the extensible portions of such aggregatecircumferential length as to yield the desired contractile force, While forming the coil springs, comprising the extensible portions Il, of the type of spring wire best suited for the purpose.

Although the non-extensible portions I2 need not necessarily have any substantial resiliency, nevertheless, if those sections have some resiliency, the garter spring as a whole will more completely engage the circular machine portion with which it is associated.

The expansible garter spring, illustrated in Fig. 2, employs the same principles described above with reference to Fig. l, so that the spring may be of narrow cross-sectional diameter, and yet a desired expansive force may be derived by providing three, more or less, extensible compression sprihg portions 2|, of such aggregate length as to yield that desired force. The portions 2| are interconnected, alternately, with non-extensible portions 22. In addition, however, it is preferred that the connections between the portions 2| and 22 be rigid, to prevent any pivotal action therebetween, and that each of the portions 2| be of such short length relatively to its diameter, that the garter spring, upon being compressed, will not tend to become materially deformed; or, stated differently, it will remain circular and in substantially a single plane.

It is well known that a straight compression coil spring, which is relatively short as compared to its diameter, may be compressed endwisely without lateral deformation, even though no guide means are provided to prevent such deformation. The present invention, apparently, utilizes that principle for the first time in garter springs; providing a compression garter spring of the character described which will not tend to Ibecome deformed under compression.

One of many possible types of rigid connections, between tlie portions 2| and 22, is illustrated in Fig. 2a, in which the end of the portion 22 is somewhat enlarged and is externally threaded to receive several of the end coils 23 of the spring constituting the extensible portion 2|. Such connections, or at least the last of such connections being made to complete the circular form of the garter spring, may be effected by holding the non-extensible portion against turning, then turning the adjacent end of the spring oppositely to the direction of the thread on the portion 22, to store a torque load in the spring, and then threading the said spring end onto the threaded end of the non-extensible portion, while releasing the end of the spring to permit the stored torque load therein toturn-it into secure threaded relation to the non-extensible portion.

As shown in the drawings, the non-extensible portions, preferably, are of material of a diameter somewhat greater than that of the material of which the spring portions are made, but are of a diameter somewhat less than the overall diameter of a spring portion.

The foregoing description-and the accompanying drawing should make it apparent that the present invention provides for garter springs which may be of very substantial circumferential length and very small in sectional diameter, yet capable of yielding contractile or'expansivefforces of magnitudes otherwise very difficult, if-not impossible to provide. The invention makes it possible to derive such desired force, while permitting reasonable latitude in the selection of spring materials employed in the structure. It should be apparent, also, that by limiting the lengthv of each coil spring portion employed in expansible garter springs, and by providing rigid interconnections between the extensible and non-extensible portions thereof, deformation or shaking of such a spring may be avoided. f

It should be obvious that the present inventive concept may be practised inmany different ways without, however, departingA from `the invention as dened in the following claims. v l f WhatIclaim is: v y

1. A garter spring of relatively small sectional diameter in comparison to its circumferential length, comprising plural, substantially similar portions which are resilient circumferentially'of the spring, and a like number of arcuate radially resistant portions which are substantially nonextensible circumferentially of the'spring and similar to each other, the-said circumferentially resilient and non-extensible portions being alternately interconnected, end to end, substantially in the form of a circle, ina common circumferential line whereby the resilience of the circumferentially resilient portions is eifective in a-circumferential line corresponding to the circumferential extension of the non-extensible portions, the circumferential length of thev circumferentially resilient portions being substantially less than that of the non-extensible portionsvwhereby to substantially limit the circumferential resilience of the spring as a whole, and the alternate interconnection of the two kinds of `portions substantially distributing the effect of the circumferential resilience of the spring about its circumference. f

2. A garter spring according to claim 1, the said non-extensible portions being also non-contractible circumferentially of the spring, the circumferentially resilient portions being compression coil springs which are interconnected rigidly with said non-extensible, non-contractible portions, and each compression coil spring being sulilicientn 1y short, in relation to its diameter, to loe substantially non-deformable laterally in response to the imposition of a compressive force enclwisely of the coil spring.

ALBERT M. CHAMBERS, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number l0 Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Stiles Dec. 27, 1881 Phillips Dec. 24, 1929 Clark Nov. 27, 1934 Barry Oct. 4, 1938 Sepe May '1, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany Oct. 23, 1930 

